Mihaela Maria Botezan (born 21 November 1976 in Ocna Mureş) is a Romanian long-distance runner who specializes mainly in the 10000 metres and the half marathon. She represented Romania at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2002 European Athletics Championships, twice at the World Championships in Athletics (2001, 2003) and five times at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.
She holds the current Romanian national record in the 10,000 m with 31:11.24 minutes, achieved at the 2004 Summer Olympics. This beat Viorica Ghican's time which had stood since 1990.[1]
She received a two-year ban from the sport for doping, after testing positive for chlorthalidone (a diuretic) at the 2007 Hamburg Marathon.[2]
International competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  Romania | |||||
| 2000 | World Half Marathon Championships | Veracruz, Mexico | 6th | Half marathon | |
| 2001 | World Championships | Edmonton, Canada | 5th | 10,000 m | |
| World Half Marathon Championships | Bristol, United Kingdom | 10th | Half marathon | ||
| 2002 | European Championships | Munich, Germany | 6th | 5000 m | |
| 4th | 10,000 m | ||||
| World Half Marathon Championships | Brussels, Belgium | 4th | Half marathon | 1:09:24 PB | |
| 2003 | World Championships | Paris, France | 13th | 10,000 m | |
| 51st | Marathon | 2:41:13 | |||
| 2004 | Olympic Games | Athens, Greece | 11th | 10,000 m | 31:11.24 NR |
| World Half Marathon Championships | New Delhi, India | 10th | Half marathon | ||
| 2005 | World Half Marathon Championships | Edmonton, Canada | 5th | Half marathon | |
Personal bests
- 3000 metres - 9:02.61 min (2003)
- 3000 metres steeplechase - 10:08.46 min (1999)
- 5000 metres - 15:08.78 min (2001)
- 10,000 metres - 31:11.24 min (2004)
- Half marathon - 1:09:24 hrs (2002)
- Marathon - 2:25:32 hrs (2003)
